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Credit & Copyright: Jiang Wu
Explanation:
It's so big it is easy to miss.
The
entire Veil Nebula spans six times the diameter of the
full moon,
but is so dim you need
binoculars to see it.
The nebula was created about
15,000 years ago when a star in the
constellation of the Swan
(Cygnus) exploded.
The spectacular explosion
would have
appeared brighter than even
Venus for a week - but there is
no known record of it.
Pictured is the western edge of the still-expanding gas cloud.
Notable gas filaments include the
Witch's Broom Nebula
on the upper left near the bright foreground star
52 Cygni,
and
Fleming's Triangular Wisp
(formerly known as
Pickering's Triangle) running diagonally up the image middle.
What is rarely imaged -- but seen in the featured long exposure across many color
bands -- is the reflecting brown
dust that runs vertically up the image left,
dust likely created in the cool atmospheres of massive
stars.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Veil Nebula - supernova remnant
Publications with words: Veil Nebula - supernova remnant
See also:
- Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A
- APOD: 2025 January 8 Á Supernova Remnants Big and Small
- APOD: 2024 September 18 Á The Mermaid Nebula Supernova Remnant
- APOD: 2024 September 4 Á NGC 6995: The Bat Nebula
- APOD: 2024 April 16 Á Filaments of the Vela Supernova Remnant
- APOD: 2024 April 3 Á Unusual Nebula Pa 30
- APOD: 2024 March 25 Á Sonified: The Jellyfish Nebula Supernova Remnant